Heat exchanger and method of constructing the same



F. FRHLlcH 3,207,213

HEAT EXCHANGER AND METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING THE SAME Sept. 21, 1965 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 5, 1963 gmc/nm SePf- 2l, 1965 F. FRHLICH3,207,213

HEAT EXGHANGER AND METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING THE SAME Filed NOV. 5, 1965 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 2l, 1965 F, FRHLICH 3,207,213

HEAT EXCHANGER AND METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING THE SAME Filed Nov. 3, 1963 5Sheets-Sheet 5 ln/00mm www. 4M

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United States Patent O 3,207,213 HEAT EXCHANGER AND METHOD OFCONSTRUCTING THE SAME Franklin Frhlich, Im Eggli 1757, Teufen AR,Switzerland Filed Nov. 3, 1961, Ser. No. 150,012

Claims priority, application Switzerland, Nov. 11, 1960,

12,638/ 60 13 Claims. (Cl. 165-81) This invention relates to a heatexchanger and to a method for constructing the same.

In my Swiss Patent No. 283,884 a heat exchanger unit is disclosed whichconsists of a plurality of parallel, technical silicate plates that arespaced by spacer strips. Owing to the brittleness and relatively largesize of the plates, great care must be exercised to avoid breakage asthe elements are stacked, clamped together with sutlicient force toeffect a proper seal, and mounted in a heat exchanger housing.

The object of the present invention is to provide a heat exchangerhaving a pivotally supported L-shaped bed upon which are stacked aplurality of spaced, parallel brittle plates. The bed includes anormally horizontal first leg upon which the plates are partiallysupported in an edgewise manner. The bed includes also a second legrigidly -connected with said tirst leg at an obtuse angle less thanapproximately 110, said plates being parallel with and partiallysupported by said second leg. During stacking, the base is pivotedthrough an angle of approximately to 30 to cause the tirst and secondlegs to be raised and lowered, respectively, whereby the respectiveweight-s of the plates are utilized to lobtain a tight stack. Owing totheir orientation on the base, the plates are maintained in tightlystacked relationship as the bed is lowered to its normal position.Consequently, as a result of the invention, the use of auxiliaryclamping means for the plates during construction lof the heat exchangeris eliminated.

As in the aforementioned Swiss patent, spacer strips are arrangedbetween the plates to define, between alternate pairs of plates,passages that extend normal to passages delined between the remainingplates. As a consequence of the edgewise, inclined orientation of theplates, the compressive load developed in the stack to effect sealingcontact between the elements is distributed uniformly across the brittleplates whereby breakage of the same is avoided.

According to the present invention, uniform transverse Support of thelower end plate of the stack is afforded by a mastic 4mass into whichthe plate is embedded. At the other end of the stack an expansion unitis provided which compensates for expansion and contraction of the bedand the housing elements. The expansion unit consists of a pair oftechnical silicate plates between which is arranged a layer of a softcompressible material. It is preferable that the plates of the expansionunit and the embedded plate be somewhat thicker than the other platesIfor proper absorption -of the compressive forces in the stack.

The plates are maintained in position on the bed by a mass of settablematerial that is pressed into an interspace dened between the expansionunit and a vertical wall of the heat exchanger housing. The llingcomposition further assures a uniform distribution of load upon theplates.

As a result of the edgewise mounting of the plates in the housing, spraynozzles may be mounted above the stack for directing cleansing anddeposit-dissolving uids downward between the plates. Furthermore, ifdesired one of the heat exchanging fluids to be directed betweenalternate pairs of plates may be supplied via the spray nozzles.

3,207,213 Patented Sept. 21, 1965 "ice Other objects and advantages ofthe invention will become apparent from a study of the followingspecication when considered in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

FIG. l is a transverse sectional view of the heat exchanger taken alongline 1-1 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. l;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are detailed view-s of the lower right and left hand endsof the stack of plates of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of .the terminal unit that is arranged atthe left hand end of the stack of plates of FIG. 2.

Referring to the drawing, the heat exchanger includes a masonry housingcontaining a chamber deiined between end w-alls 48 and 49, longitudinalWalls 50 and 51, and upper and lower horizontal surfaces (not shown).The end walls contain opposed rectangular openings which areclosed-after assembly of the heat exchanger elements in the housing-bymasonry ller 48a and 49a. Adjacent each longitudinal w-all is arranged alongitudinal row of stationary pedestals 11 having reduced portions 12at their upper ends. The pedestals 11a adjacent end wall 49 have reducedends 12a upon which are titted inverted U-shaped channels 13a.

Each rfow of pedestals supports a rigid L-shaped bed 16 having tirst andsecond legs arranged at an obtuse angle of less than approximatelyrelative to each other. The horizontal tlrst leg of the bed comprisesspaced center and outer beams 20 and 18, respectively, that areconnected by transverse inverted U-shaped channels 13 and 15. Channels13 are supported by pedestal portions 12 and channel 15 is supported bypivot rod 14 welded to channel 13a. The second bed leg comprisestriangular plates 22 welded to beams 18 and 20, L-shaped reinforcingbeams welded to plates 22, and a transverse metal plate 28 welded tobeams 24.

lStacked edgewise upon the iirst leg of the bed are a plurality ofplates 32 and 36 formed of a technical silicate (such as glass or aceramic) between successive pairs of which are arranged horizontal andvertical spacer strips 34 and 38, respectively. Plate 32 is uniformlysupported by a mastic layer 30 (of gypsum paste, for example) positionedon plate 28. The spacer strips are preferably formed of the samematerial as the plates.

An expansion unit (FIG. 5) is provided at the lefthand end of the stackand comprises a pair of technical silicate plates 40 and 44 betweenwhich is arranged a layer 42 of compressible material such as rubber.The interstice between vertical wall portion 48a and the expansion unitis lled with a mastic -mass 46, such as gypsum paste.

` In order to stabilize the bed in the housing, a concrete slab 54 issupported between the inner beams 18 of the two beds, and concrete slabs72 are supported by the outer beams 18 and wall supports 70. Concreteslab 5S is supported, adjacent its longitudinal edges, by soft pads 56on the adjacent upper edges of the two stacks and, at its ends, by softpads S9 mounted on wall supports 57. Tronghs 64 iilled with scrap metalare supported by soft pads 68 on the outer edges of the stacks and onthe wall supports 66. Horizontal partition 62 is supported at its -endsby wall portions 48a and 49a and defines chambers A and B between slabs54 and 58. Curved detlecting Iplates 52 are mounted between the stacksand the longitudinal walls, the concave surfaces of said deflectingplates being directed inwardly toward the stacks as shown.

In the end wall portion 48a on opposite sides of partition 62 aremounted a pair of supply and return conduits 60. In operation of theexchanger, a rst heat exchanging uid is supplied to chamber A- via thelower conduit 60 and is diverted laterally outward-as shown by thearrows tf-through the horizontal passages defined between alternate setsof plates by the strips 34. The fluid is diverted by deflecting platesS8 into chamber B through the upper horizontal passages between thebrittle plates as shown by arrows 0. The fluid is exhausted via theupper conduit 60. A second heat exchanging fluid in chamber D isdirected downwardas shown by the arrows d--through the vertical passagesdefined between alternate sets of plates by strips 38. This fluid passesthrough the openings in the bed elements as shown by the arrows e andpasses into chamber C. The inlet and outlet openings of chambers D andC, respectively, are not shown in the drawing. The second fluid may beintroduced into chamber D via pipes 74 and spray nozzles 76, if desired.In the event that impurities and deposits should be formed on the wallsurfaces of the vertical passages, suitable cleaning ordeposit-dissolving uids may be sprayed between the plates by means ofthe pipes and nozzles.

During construction of the heat exchanger, the masonry housing is formedabout the pedestal supported beds, openings being left in the end walls.Each bed is then pivoted in the clockwise direction (FIG. 2) about pivotrod 14 through an angle of approximately 10 to 30. After covering thesurface of plate 28 with the layer 30 of a settable material (forexample, gypsum paste), plates 32 and 36 and spacer strips 34 and 38 aresuccessively stacked upon plate 28, the lower edges of the brittleplates being partially supported by the first leg of the bed. Tofacilitate stacking, each of the spacer strips may be secured (bygluing, for example) to a surface of one of the two plates between whichit is arranged. The expansion element is mounted upon spacer stripsarranged on the upper plate 36.

Owing to their orientation, the plates are stabilized by theirrespective weights as the bed is lowered to the FIG. 2 position.Adjacent each expansion unit, a portion of the opening in Wall 48 isclosed by the construction of masonry walls 48a. The mastic 46 (such asgypsum paste) is now forced into the interstice defined between wall 48aand the adjacent expansion unit, the sides of the interstice beingclosed by plate means, not shown.

The beds are now secured in place by the mounting of slabs 54 and 72,and slab 5S and troughs 64 are mounted on the upper edges of the plates.Owing to the weights of slab 58 and troughs 64, the pressure of mastic46, and the respective weights of the plates themselves, the plates arepressed into tight sealing engagement with the spacer strips. Towithstand the compressive forces at the ends of the stack, plates 32,4t) and 44 may be made somewhat thicker than plates 36. Owing to thecompressibility of layer 42 and the temporarily non-hardened state ofmastic masses 46 and 30, the stress in the stack are distributeduniformly across the brittle heat exchanger elements.

Conduits 60 and partition 62 are now mounted in the end wall openingsand are secured in place by the construction of masonry wall 49a and theremaining central portion of wall 48a. Upon hardening of the masticmasses 30 and 46, the construction of the heat exchanger is completed.

Although the housing of the heat exchanger has been described as beingformed of masonry and concrete, it is apparent that for smaller unitsthe housings may be formed of other materials, such as eternite, asynthetic plastic, or a suitable metal.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be madein the method and apparatus described without deviating from theinvention set forth in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Heat exchanger apparatus, comprising a generally L-shaped bedincluding a horizontal first leg and a generally vertical second leg;

a stack of parallel spaced heat exchanger plates arranged edgewise onsaid first leg parallel with and adjacent said second leg;

spacer strip means arranged between and cooperating with successivepairs of plates to dene a plurality of first parallel passages extendingbetween alternate pairs of plates in one direction transversely of thestack and a plurality of second parallel passages extending between theremaining pairs of plates in a direction transversely of the stacknormal to said first passages;

means including a mass of settable material interposed between thesecond bed leg and the adjacent end plate of the stack;

and a housing enclosing said stack of plates and spacer strips, saidhousing including first conduit means for conducting a rst heat transferfluid solely through said first passages, and second conduit means forconducting a second fluid solely through said second passages, wherebyheat is transferred between said uids through said heat exchangerplates.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second legsare rigidly connected at an obtuse angle less than approximatelydegrees.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, and further including meanspivotally supporting said bed in said housing.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, and further including nozzle meanscontained within said housing for directing a liquid between alternatepairs of said heat exchanger plates.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said end plate has a greaterthickness than the adjacent plates of the stack.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said plates are formed ofglass.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said plates are formed of aceramic material.

S. Heat exchanger apparatus, comprising a generally L-shaped bedincluding a horizontal first leg and a generally vertical second leg;

a stack of brittle parallel spaced heat exchanger plates arrangededgewise on said first leg parallel with and adjacent said second leg;

spacer strip means arranged between and cooperating with successivepairs of plates to define a plurality of first parallel passagesextending between alternate pairs of plates in one directiontransversely of the stack and a plurality of second parallel passagesextending between the remaining pairs of plates in a directiontransversely of the stack normal to said rst passages;

means including a mass of settable material interposed between thesecond bed leg and the adjacent end plate of the stack;

an expansion unit parallel with and stacked upon the opposite end of thestack from said second leg, said expansion unit comprising a layer ofresilient packing material and a pair of parallel additional plates incontiguous engagement with opposite sides of said packing layer;

and a housing enclosing said stack of plates, spacer strips andexpansion unit, said housing including first conduit means forconducting a first heat transfer fluid through said first passages, andsecond conduit means for conducting a second fluid through said secondpassages, whereby heat is transferred between said fluids through saidheat exchanger plates.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the pair of plates of saidexpansion unit are formed of a technical silicate material and have agreater thickness than the adjacent plates of the stack.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said housing includes a wallsurface arranged with respect to the free end surface of the stack todefine an interstice, and further including means lling said interstice.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said fill- 3,207,213 6 ingmeans comprises a mass of hardenable material the remaining pairs ofplates in a direction transversely pressed into the interstice. of thestack normal to said first passages, comprising 12. A heat exchangercomprising a housing containing a chamber; a housing including ahorizontal base, a vertical wall a rigid generally L-shaped bed ararngedin said chamat one end of said base, and a rigid support at the otherend of said base inclined at an obtuse angle relative thereto;

a stack of parallel spaced brittle heat exchanger plates arrangededgewise on said horizontal base parallel with and at least partiallysupported by said rigid ber and including irst and second legs definingtherebetween an obtuse angle;

and means pivotally supporting said bed for pivotal movement about ahorizontal pivot axis adjacent the point of connection of said legs;

said housing including means for normally supporting support; said bedin a final position in which said first and spacer strip means arrangedbetween and cooperating second legs are llOflZOIlal and generallyVertical, with successive pairs of plates to dene a pluralityfesPeCllVelY, and flfst and seCODd Conduit meaIlS fOI' of first parallelpassages extending between alternate comnlulleall'lwlth the lfst endsecond Passages pairs of plates in one direction transversely of theCOIllaIDed H Sald steek, fesPeClVelY, When said bed stack and aplurality of second parallel passages extending between the remainingpairs of plates in a direction transversely of the stack normal to saidrst passages;

is in said final position and the plates, with the spacer strip meanstherebetween, are arranged edgewise on said first leg parallel with andat least partially supported by said second leg.

and a hardened mass substantially filling the space dened between saidvertical wall and the end plate adjacent thereto, said housing includingfirst conduit References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTSmeans for conducting a first heat transfer fluid 1 794 135 2/31 Banl 16568 through said rst passages, and second conduit means 2'005515 6 /3 5Winkler "165 119 for conducting a second iuid through Said SeCOnd2,251,066 7/41 Persson e-{a-l n 165 157 passages, whereby heat istransferred between said 2267619 12/41 Strom 29 1573 uids through saidheat exchanger plates. 2,339,284 1/44 Modine 165 7`9 13. In heatexchanger apparatus of the type including 2759247 8/56 Grenen "29 157 3a stack of parallel spaced brittle technical silicate plates J n andspacer strip means arranged between and cooperating FOREIGN PATENTS withsuccessive pairs of plates to deiine a plurality of irst 920,425 1/55Germany.

parallel passages extending between alternate pairs of plates in onedirection transversely of the stack and a plurality of second parallelpassages extending between CHARLES SUKALO, Primary Examiner.

1. HEAT EXCHANGER APPARATUS, COMPRISING A GENERALLY L-SHAPED BED INCLUDING A HORIZONTAL FIRST LEG AND A GENERALLY VERTICAL SECOND LEG; A STACK OF PARALLEL SPACED HEAT EXCHANGER PLATES ARRANGED EDGEWISE ON SAID FIRST LEG PARALLEL WITH AND ADJACENT SAID SECOND LEG; SPACER STRIP MEANS ARRANGED BETWEEN AND COOPERATING WITH SUCCESSIVE PAIRS OF PLATES TO DEFINE A PLURALITY OF FIRST PARALLEL PASSAGES EXTENDING BETWEEN ALTERNATE PAIRS OF PLATES IN ONE DIRECTION TRANSVERSELY OF THE STACK AND A PLURALITY OF SECOND PARALLEL PASSAGES EXTENDING BETWEEN THE REMAINING PAIRS OF PLATES IN A DIRECTION TRANSVERSELY OF THE STACK NORMAL TO SAID FIRST PASSAGES; MEANS INCLUDING A MASS OF SETTABLE MATERIAL INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE SECOND BED LEG AND THE ADJACENT END PLATE OF THE STACK; AND A HOUSING ENCLOSING SAID STACK OF PLATES AND SPACER STRIPS, AND HOUSING INCLUDING FIRST CONDUIT MEANS FOR CONDUCTING A FIRST HEAT TRANSFER FLUID SOLELY THROUGH SAID FIRST PASSAGES, AND SECOND CONDUIT MEANS FOR CONDUCTING A SECOND FLUID THROUGH SAID SECOND PASSAGES, WHEREBY HEAT IS TRANSFERRED BETWEEN SAID FLUIDS THROUGH SAID HEAT EXCHANGER PLATES. 